Christmas Special
kansan
Serving KU for 77 of its 101 Years
WEATHER
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
77th Year, No.51
The U.S. Weather Bureau predicts partly cloudy to cloudy through Tuesday. Turning cooler Tuesday. Low tonight mid '30's. Precipitation probabilities tonight and Tuesday 2 per cent.
Monday, December 5, 1966
JACK IS OUSTED!
By DAN AUSTIN and JERRY KLEIN
A curtain of secrecy crashed down around the principal figures involved in the cancellation of KU Head Coach Jack Mitchell's "life-time" contract within hours after the announcement was made to the press Saturday.
While Mitchell secluded himself from reporters in Prairie Village Sunday, the group of men who removed him—the KU Athletic Board—told reporters that they were "forbidden to say anything."
Even the Kansas Board of Regents, which awarded Mitchell's life-time contract in 1961, was taken completely by surprise.
DEPARTURE HAD BEEN RUMORED
Rumors of Mitchell's forced departure had been circulating since the middle of the grid season. Yet the timing of the official announcement caught many people by surprise.
Just before halftime at the KU-Xavier game Saturday, Jay Simon, KU sports publicity director, called the press corps into the office of Wade Stinson, athletic director, with a promise of an "important" announcement.
As,the hands on the office clock crept past 9 p.m. Stinson slowly and deliberately read a prepared statement:
"Prof. Charles Oldfather, chairman of the Athletic Board at Kansas University, announced today that the board and head football coach Jack Mitchell had agreed to cancel Coach Mitchell's contract with the athletic corporation on terms mutually satisfactory to both Coach Mitchell and the board."
Terms of the contract settlement were not revealed.
Terms of the contract settlement were not revealed. "I don't believe terms have a bearing on the situation," Stinson said.
DECISION TOOK SIX HOURS
It took the Athletic Board six hours—from noon until 6 p.m.—to make the decision to release Mitchell.
Two more hours with Mitchell and his Lawrence attorney, John W. Brand, and the board had made the final deal with the coach.
Brand, when asked details of the settlement and his involvement, fired off a rapid succession of "No comment:"
Q. Are the two rumored figures, $48,000 and $66,done it some more if Mitchell hadn't resigned."
060. the possible amount of cash settlement between Mitchell and the board?
A. No comment.
Q. Did Mitchell and the board arbitrate the final settlement?
A. No comment.
Q. Did you arbitrate the settlement?
Q. Did you arbitrate the settlement?
A. No comment
MITCHELL STAYED HOME
Apparently, Mitchell remained at home until the board made its decision. Then, at 6 p.m., Stinson called him to make arrangements for a final settlement.
The contract itself ran through June 30,1971. After that, it could be renewed every three years. Yearly, the contract was worth about $20,000—fluctuating with the salaries of KU deans.
FORMER COACH
Jack Mitchell, former KU football coach, was caught here squinting into the sun during a late afternoon ball game.
Did Stinson recommend that Mitchell be released?
At the press conference, the athletic director answered that question after only a moment's hesitation.
"It was the board's recommendation," replied Stinson. "They acted as a unit."
WESCOE NOTIFIED BY PHONE
Chancellor W. Clarke Wescoe heard of the board's recommendation by telephone. He gave approval but refused comment.
Some rumors partially substantiated by Stinson were those that claimed Michell's release would wreck KU high school recruiting.
"It would put us somewhat behind," said Stinson.
"I just hope the boys who are thinking about Kansas have not committed themselves elsewhere," added Stinson. "It will probably be difficult since a football coach is not here."
PHOG ALLEN REACTS
Coach Forrest (Phog) Allen, "the grand old man" of KU sports who served as athletic director, head of the physical education department and as both football and basketball coach before his retirement in the early 1950's, was blunt in his reaction to the Mitchell incident.
"A coach is expected to win in all types of games—when he doesn't, they cancel his contract," he said.
"That's the penalty for losing—they don't pay a coach to be good looking." Allen added.
Allen was even more incensed over the idea of a life-time contract.
"it's ridiculous—it's a win or get out proposition," said Allen.
SAYS COACH SHOULD WIN
And can a coach win at KU?
"Of course a coach can win at KU, and $20,000 pays a coach to win," Allen replied.
With a patting shot at athletics in general, the former coach said. "They have gone to pot at KU and all over—the National College Athletic Association has become a Barnum and Bailey Circus.
"Today, money seems to be all that counts," Allen added. "Nowadays, they don't do all they can for the boy, but all they can for $20,000."
LONBORG "NOT SURPRISED"
Witnessing the second football coach turnover in Continued on page 9
—UDK Photo by Pres Doudna
"SMILE WADE, HE'S GONE"
Chancellor W. Clarke Wescoe smiles in the direction of Athletic Director Wade Stinson shortly after the announcement of the removal of head football coach Jack Mitchell. Stinson made the announcement to newsmen during the halftime of the KU-Xavier basketball game.
3. $x = 1, y = -2$
Contract cancellation
Students voice views
By WILL HARDESTY
Almost everyone had an opinion about the termination of Coach Jack Mitchell's contract.
One pom-pon girl expressed the moderate viewpoint when she said, "I don't think we can blame all of KU's football problems on Mr. Mitchell. However, I do feel from what I know, that a change of coaches will really help the morale of the football team and the school."
DIANE LEONE, Oxon Hill, Md., sophomore, was more radical when she said, "I can't believe it's finally happened. When I heard it on the radio, I ran around and told all my friends—but nobody cried."
One of the leaders of a recent effigy-burning was all smiles.
"It's a major victory," he said. "It was worth all the effort. I'm glad we did it, and we'd have
AL MARTIN, Shawnee Mission junior, and one of student members of the Athletic Corporation Board, said, as a student, he wasn't surprised it happened.
"I hadn't heard any more rumors about it this year than I had for the last four," he said.
Other than that, Martin and the other two members of the board, Charles Whitman, Shawnee Mission third year law students, and Mike Grady, Leawood senior, handed out a straight "no comment" and "see the statements we handed out last night."
Many students had heard some rumors of the impending action.
One football player, who prefers to remain anonymous, said he wasn't surprised at all, and had heard rumors "like everybody else."
Continued on page 3